PACT Act and Care Benefits Changing for Vets and Their Families

Mar 3, 2023

Northville, MI (Law Firm Newswire) October 11, 2022 – The President recently signed the PACT Act. The new law provides care and benefits to veterans and survivors exposed to toxic water contaminants. There are 23 presumptive conditions under the PACT Act. Veterans and their families were eligible for benefits effective August 10, 2022.

In what is considered a historic achievement, the new law helps deliver health care and other benefits to all veterans exposed to burn pits, toxins, and airborne hazards during their deployment. A veteran stationed at Camp Lejeune for more than thirty days from August 1, 1953, to December 31, 1987, and who sustained serious injuries caused by the toxic water, can start a claim. Veterans who were stationed in Southeast Asia after August 1990 or veterans who were stationed in Syria, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, or Djibouti after September 19, 2001, and were exposed to toxins from burn pits may also file a claim.

According to VA Secretary D. McDonough, the new law brings a generation of veterans into the VA health care system, improving health outcomes for all. “If you are a veteran and feel you have been exposed to toxic substances that have affected your health, here is what you need to know,” explained Jim Fausone, a Michigan veteran’s lawyer. 

How to apply for PACT benefits:

File a claim with Veteran’s Affairs.
Check for the presumptive conditions listed in the PACT Act and indicate those which affect you.
Benefits were available from August 10, 2022.

To find out more about the PACT Act, visit HERE: https://www.va.gov/resources/the-pact-act-and-your-va-benefits/

The following are some presumptive conditions listed in the PACT Act include:

Adenosquamous carcinoma of the lung
Adenocarcinoma of the trachea
Asthma diagnosed after service
Chronic bronchitis, obstructive pulmonary disease, rhinitis, or sinusitis
Constrictive bronchiolitis or obliterative bronchiolitis
Granulomatous disease
Interstitial lung disease (ILD)
Large cell carcinoma of the lungs
Brain, gastrointestinal, kidney, lymphatic, neck, reproductive, respiratory, pancreatic cancer of any type
Melanoma
Pleuritis
Pulmonary fibrosis
Salivary gland-type tumors of the trachea or lung
Sarcomatoid carcinoma of the lung
Squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx or trachea
Typical and atypical carcinoid of the lung

Jim Fausone, a Michigan veteran’s attorney and Legal Help for Veterans PLLC founder, stated, “The degree of disability a veteran sustains affects their benefits, and that is what we are here for – to help veterans get the benefits they deserve.”

“If you run into difficulties seeking veteran’s benefits, Legal Help For Veterans, PLLC is a nationwide VA Disability law firm assisting veterans and their family members in all federal VA benefit matters,” added Fausone.

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